"Stop, Sam Rover, stop!"

The voice was that of Dan Baxter, and an instant later the bully came into view, rifle in hand, and followed by Bill Harney.

"What do you want here, Baxter?" demanded Sam, as coolly as he could, although the situation by no means pleased him.

"Are you alone?"

"No."

"Who is with you?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I'm making it my business."

"I reckon he's alone, right enough," put in Bill Harney. "I don't see anybody else around."

The big guide rushed forward, and knocking down Sam's gun placed his foot upon it.

"Give me my gun!"

"Not so fast, my bantam!" cried the guide. "Baxter, reckon ye had better look into the shack and see what's there."

The bully did as requested. On seeing Jasper Grinder, he started back.

"Grinder!"

"Who calls?" asked the wounded man, and opened his eyes. "So it is you, Dan Baxter. What do you want?"

"What did you desert us for, Grinder?"

"I didn't desert you. I got lost, and they found me, half starved and frozen. Now I am wounded. Are you in possession of this camp? Where are the Rovers?"

"Sam is here. I don't know anything about the others. Have they found that treasure yet?"

"No. They went off to look for it." Jasper Grinder tried to go on, but fell back exhausted and could say no more.

"Here's a queer go!" muttered the former bully of Putnam Hall. "I suppose they shot Grinder. If they did, they ought to suffer for it. I guess—Hullo, what's up out there?"

A scuffle outside of the shelter had reached his ears. Bill Harney had been standing close to some firewood, and without warning Sam had rushed at the big guide and sent him sprawling backward.

"Hi! stop him!" yelled the guide, as he started to struggle to his feet. But before he could get up, Sam had taken time by the forelock and disappeared into the timber skirting the pond.



CHAPTER XXX.

A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH—CONCLUSION.

When Sam escaped from big Bill Harney he had but one purpose in view, and that was to reach Dick and the others just as soon as possible and acquaint them with the turn affairs had taken.

He had a fairly good idea of the direction the others had taken, and knew that their tracks in the snow would be plain to follow. The main thing at the start was to keep out of sight of the enemy.

In doing this, he had not only to avoid Harney and Baxter, but also Husty, providing that individual was anywhere around, which was probable. Consequently, although he traveled as fast as the deep snow permitted, he kept a sharp lookout on every side.

The youth soon circled the lower shore of Bear Pond, and he found the trail he was seeking. It led directly to the westward, and he followed it up, almost on a run.

In the meantime Dick, Tom, and John Barrow had journeyed to the third outlet of the lake, the stream which the guide thought must be the original of Perch River. Here, after a good deal of trouble, the party located what looked like the stump of a tree once struck by lightning.

"We've found it at last!" cried Dick. "I feel it in my bones that we are on the right track!"

Again they measured off the distance with care, and now came to a large flat rock, behind which was another, unusually sharp.

"The flat rock!" muttered Tom, and his heart began to thump wildly. "Dick, you're right. We are on the right track. If the treasure isn't here, it's been taken away."

They had brought along a pick and a crowbar, and now all set to work to clear away the snow, and then the dirt from around the pointed rock. The ground was hard, and at first they made but slow progress.

"Perhaps we'll have to build a fire, to thaw out the ground," suggested John Barrow.

"Oh, that will take too long," said Tom. "I wonder if we can't turn the rock over?"

With the crowbar and the pick wedged against the flat rock they pushed upon the pointed rock with all the force at their command. Several times the tools slipped, but at last they held, and slowly the pointed rock went up, until with a thud it rolled over and several feet away.

"Hurrah, a hole full of small stones!" cried Dick, and leaped down to pick the stones out. Tom followed, and so did the guide.

"Dick! Tom! Hullo! hullo!" came the unexpected cry from a short distance away.

"Who is that calling?" demanded Dick.

"It's Sam," replied the guide, looking up. "He's coming here as fast as he can track it."

"Then something is wrong," said Dick, and for the moment the treasure was forgotten.

It did not take Sam long to reach them. He was so out of breath that for several minutes he was unable to talk connectedly. At last he gasped out:

"Dan Baxter and that big guide—they attacked me and I ran away. They—they are in possession of our traps."

"Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. "That's the worst yet. They'll steal all our things and leave us to starve!"

"We might as well go right after them," put in John Barrow.

"Oh, say, let's unearth this treasure first," pleaded Tom. "If we leave that, Baxter may follow up our tracks, as Sam did, and take it from under our very noses."

"Tom is right—get the treasure first," said Dick.

Once more they set to work, Sam watching them while trying to get back his breath and strength. Soon the last of the loose stones were removed from the hole, and they came upon a thin metallic slab having in the center a small ring. They pulled the slab up and disclosed a small square opening, in the middle of which rested a metallic box, about a foot and a half square and a foot in depth. The box was so heavy they could scarcely budge it.

"The treasure at last!" came from all of the boys.

"Putty heavy, no mistake about that," was John Barrow's comment. "If it's silver it's wuth considerable!"

"We must get it out somehow," said Dick, who was as excited as anyone. "Let's get the crowbar under it."

This suggestion was carried out, and after a good deal of trouble the box was brought up out of the hole. Beneath it lay an iron key, which fitted the rusty lock of the treasure casket. Soon they had the box open, and all gazed intently inside.

"Gold and silver!" shouted Tom. "See, the gold is on top, and looks as if it had been put in some time after the silver. Wonder what the stuff is worth?"

"Some thousand dollars, that's sure," said Dick.

Now that the treasure was found the boys scarcely knew what to do with it. Then the guide came forward with a suggestion.

"We'll hide it in the snow for the present. Then the Baxter crowd won't know where it is. The empty hole will throw 'em off the scent."

A nearby place was readily found, and into this the box was placed and the snow was thrown loosely over it. This accomplished, they started back for the camp with all possible speed.

It was a long tramp, and although he did his best Sam lagged behind.

"You go on, don't mind me," said the youngest Rover. "Only keep them from running off with our goods."

It was a good half hour before the camp was reached. When they came in sight of the spot it looked deserted.

"We may as well go slow," cautioned John Barrow. "There may be some sort of a trap set for us."

They advanced with their guns ready for use, but nobody appeared, and presently they stood close to the camp-fire. Then Dick ran into the shelter, to find Jasper Grinder lying as Sam had left him.

"Mr. Grinder, where is the Baxter crowd?" he asked.

"Gone, half an hour ago," replied the wounded man.

"Where did they go to?"

"I don't know. They said something about following you up and spying on you, to see if you had found the treasure."

"Creation!" ejaculated Dick, and ran outside again. "We've made a mess of it!" he said. "They followed us up, and more than likely they've got the treasure box this minute!"

It was found that but little in the camp had been disturbed, excepting that Sam's gun had been taken off. What to do was now the question. Sam could not walk further.

"Better stay here," said Dick. "If the Baxter crowd comes back, you can hide."

Then he, Tom, and John Barrow set out to return to where the treasure had been left. They were still some distance away when they discovered Dan Baxter, Bill Harney, and Lemuel Husty making their way along the snow-covered trail. In a few minutes they came up to the party.

"Baxter, where are you bound?" demanded Dick, striding up.

"You know well enough."

"We are after thet treasure," came from Harney, and it was plain to see that he and Husty had been drinking heavily.

"The treasure is ours, Baxter, and you can't touch it."

"It will belong to whoever finds it," growled the bully.

"That's right," came from Husty. "Whoever gits it, owns it. Eh, Harney?"

"Plain truth, that is," hiccoughed the big guide.

"In that case, it is ours for sure," grinned Dick. "We have it already."

At this announcement Dan Baxter staggered back.

"It—it aint true; you're joking," he faltered.

"It is true, Baxter. Come, I will show you where the treasure was hidden—if that will do you any good. Here is the description." And Dick brought it forth and let the bully read it.

"Where's the tree?" demanded Baxter.

"There is the tree, and over yonder is the rock. We turned it over and found the treasure, just as we anticipated. It's ours, and I am simply telling you this to save you the trouble of looking further for it. Dan Baxter, you have played this game to a finish with your companions, and you have lost."

If ever there was a disappointed and angry individual, it was Dan Baxter. He raved and said all sorts of uncomplimentary things, and Husty and Harney joined in, until John Barrow told all of them to shut up or he would have the law on them.

"You had no right to make prisoners of Tom and Sam," he said. "But if you'll behave yourselves, and not bother us in the future, we'll let that pass."

To this Husty, who was a thorough sneak, consented at once, and then Bill Harney did the same. Baxter remained silent.

"You've defeated me this time," he said, at last. "But, remember, I am not done with you."

A little later Baxter moved off, and Bill Harney and Lemuel Husty went with him. It was the last that the Rovers saw of their enemies for a long while to come.

A few words more and we will bring to a close this story of the Rover boys' adventures in the mountains.

Our friends found it no easy matter to get the heavy treasure box safely to camp. In order to move it, they had to construct a drag of a treelimb and hook a rope to this, and then it was all they could do to move it along through the deep snow.

When they got the box into camp they lost no time in examining the treasure. The gold and silver amounted to twenty-five hundred dollars, and there were diamonds and other precious stones worth nearly as much more.

"About five thousand dollars, all told," announced Dick. "That is not such a bad haul, after all."

As there was now nothing more to look for, our friends spent ten days in the camp, taking it easy most of the time, and spending a day in getting back the missing sled. They went hunting twice, and the second time out Dick got a fine shot at a deer, and brought down the creature without trouble. Tom and Sam brought down considerable small game, and all voted the outing a complete success, despite the interference occasioned by their enemies.

At the end of the ten days Jasper Grinder was able to walk around, although still weak. In the meantime John Barrow had constructed a sled for the former school-teacher to sit upon, and on this he rode when they started on the return to Timber Run.

When the settlement was gained the Laning girls, Mrs. Barrow, and Addie were glad to see them back, and delighted to learn of the treasure and its value. They said they had heard of Baxter and his followers, but that all of the party had left Timber Run for parts unknown.

"Well, we don't want to see them again," said Dick. "We've had quite enough of all of them." At Timber Run Jasper Grinder left them, and the Rovers saw no more of him for many days.

The home-coming of the Rover boys was a day long to be remembered. There was a regular party given at the country home, at which many of their friends were present. The Laning girls were there, and also Dora Stanhope, and Larry, Fred, George, and a host of others, not forgetting Captain Putnam himself, who came upon a special invitation sent by Mr. Anderson Rover. Alexander Pop waited upon the table as usual, his face beaming with pleasure.

"Jes tell yo', yo' can't down dem Rober boys nohow," said the colored man to Captain Putnam. "Da is jes like apples in a tub—yo' shoves 'em under, an' up da pops, bright as eber." And the owner of Putnam Hall laughingly agreed with Alexander.

"I trust that you will never be troubled by Dan Baxter again," said Dora Stanhope to Dick, after he had told her the story of the treasure hunt.

"I trust so myself," replied Dick. "But he's like a bad cent, sure to turn up when not wanted." Dick told the truth. How Dan Baxter turned up, and what he did to bring the Rovers more trouble, will be told in another volume, to be entitled, "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea; or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands," a tale full of happenings far out of the ordinary.

But for the time being troubles were of the past, and here let us leave our friends, shouting as did the pupils from the Hall when the party broke up:

"Three cheers for the Rover Boys! Hip, hip, hurrah!"



* * * * *

The Famous Rover Boys Series

By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD

Each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere 12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated.

Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.

THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST Or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune. Old enemies try again to injure our friends.

THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE Or, The Right Road and the Wrong Brimming over with good nature and excitement.

THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE Or, The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht A search for treasure; a particularly fascinating volume.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM Or, The Last Days at Putnam Hall The boys find a mysterious cave used by freight thieves.

THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS Or, The Deserted Steam Yacht A trip to the coast of Florida.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch Relates adventures on the mighty Mississippi River.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat The Ohio River is the theme of this spirited story.

THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP Or, The Rivals of Pine Island At the annual school encampment.

THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands Full of strange and surprising adventures.

THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS Or, A Hunt for Fame and Fortune The boys in the Adirondacks at a Winter camp.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES Or, The Secret of the Island Cave A story of a remarkable Summer outing; full of fun.

THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST Or, The Search for a Lost Mine A graphic description of the mines of the great Rockies.

THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa The boys journey to the Dark Continent in search of their father.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN Or, A Chase for a Fortune From school to the Atlantic Ocean.

THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall The doings of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover.

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* * * * *

The Putnam Hall Series

Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series

By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD

Open-air pastimes have always been popular with boys, and should always be encouraged, as they provide healthy recreation both for the body and the mind. These books mingle adventure and fact, and will appeal to every manly boy.

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THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT Or, The Secret of the Old Mill

A story full of vim and vigor, telling what the cadets did during the summer encampment. *** and among other things their visit to a mysterious old mill, said to be haunted. The book has a wealth of healthy fun in it.

THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION Or, The Rival Runaways

The boys had good reasons for running away during Captain Putnam's absence. They had plenty of fun, and several queer adventures.

THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS Or, Bound to Win Out

In this new tale the Putnam Hall Cadets show what they can do in various keen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere. There is one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for discovery.

THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS Or, Good Times in School and Out

The cadets are lively, flesh-and-blood fellows, bound to make friends from the start. There are some keen rivalries, in school and out, and something is told of a remarkable midnight feast and a hazing that had an unlocked for ending.

THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore

It is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life in this country, written by one who knows all about its ways, its snowball fights, its baseball matches, its pleasures and its perplexities, its glorious excitements its rivalries, and its chilling disappointments.

Other Volumes in Preparation.

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* * * * *

THE RISE IN LIFE SERIES

By Horatio Alger, Jr.

These are Copyrighted Stories which cannot be obtained else where. They are the stories last written by this famous author.

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Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid,

THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success A plain but uncommonly interesting tale of everyday life, describing the ups and downs of a boy book-agent.

FROM FARM TO FORTUNE: Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience Nat was a poor country lad. Work on the farm was hard, and after a quarrel with his uncle, with whom he resided, he struck out for himself.

OUT FOR BUSINESS: Or, Robert Frost's Strange Career Relates the adventures of a country boy who is compelled to leave home and seek his fortune in the great world at large. How he wins success We must leave to the reader to discover.

FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE Or, The Experiences of a Young Secretary This is a companion tale to "Out for Business," but complete in itself, and tells of the further doings of Robert Frost as private secretary.

YOUNG CAPTAIN JACK: Or, The Son of a Soldier The scene is laid in the South during the Civil War, and the hero is a waif who was cast up by the sea and adopted by a rich Southern planter.

NELSON THE NEWSBOY: Or, Afloat in New York Mr. Alger is always at his best in the portrayal of life in New York City, and this story is among the best he has given our young readers.

LOST AT SEA: Or, Robert Roscoe's Strange Cruise A sea story of uncommon interest. The hero falls in with a strange derelict—a ship given over to the wild animals of a menagerie.

JERRY, THE BACKWOODS BOY Or, The Parkhurst Treasure Depicts life on a farm of New York State. The mystery of the treasure will fascinate every boy. Jerry is a character well worth knowing.

RANDY OF THE RIVER Or, The Adventures of a Young Deckhand Life on a river steamboat is not so romantic as some young people may imagine. There is hard work, and plenty of it, and the remuneration is not of the best. But Randy Thompson wanted work and took what was offered. His success in the end was well deserved, and perhaps the lesson his doings teach will not be lost upon those who peruse these pages.

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WITH CUSTER IN THE BLACK HILLS Or, A Young Scout among the Indians. Tells of the remarkable experiences of a youth who, with his parents, goes to the Black Hills in search of gold. Custer's last battle is well described. A volume every lad fond of Indian stories should possess.

BOYS OF THE FORT Or, A Young Captain's Pluck. This story of stirring doings at one of our well-known forts in the Wild West is of more than ordinary interest. The young captain had a difficult task to accomplish, but he had been drilled to do his duty, and does it thoroughly. Gives a good insight into army life of to-day.

THE YOUNG BANDMASTER Or, Concert, Stage, and Battlefield. The hero is a youth with a passion for music, who becomes a cornetist in an orchestra, and works his way up to the leadership of a brass band. He is carried off to sea and falls in with a secret service cutter bound for Cuba, and while there joins a military band which accompanies our soldiers in the never-to-be-forgotten attack on Santiago.

OFF FOR HAWAII Or, The Mystery of a Great Volcano. Here we have fact and romance cleverly interwoven. Several boys start on a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. They have heard that there is a treasure located in the vicinity of Kilauea, the largest active volcano in the world, and go in search of it. Their numerous adventures will be followed with much interest.

A SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY Or, Afloat in the Philippines. The story of Dewey's victory in Manila Bay will never grow old, but I here we have it told in a new form—as it appeared to a real, live American youth who was in the navy at the time. Many adventures in Manila and in the interior follow, give true-to-life scenes from this portion of the globe.

WHEN SANTIAGO FELL Or, the War Adventures of Two Chums. Two boys, an American and his Cuban chum, leave New York to join their parents in the interior of Cuba. The war between Spain and the Cubans is on, and the boys are detained at Santiago, but escape by crossing the bay at night. Many adventures between the lines follow, and a good pen-picture of General Garcia is given.

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Stories of Early American Exploration and Adventure for Boys.

By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL The Historical Background Is Absolutely Correct.

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PIONEER BOYS OF THE GOLD FIELDS Or, The Nugget Hunters of '49 A tale complete in itself, giving the particulars of the great rush of the gold seekers to California in 1849. In the party making its way across the continent are three boys, one from the country, another from the city, and a third just home from a long voyage on a whaling ship. They become chums, and share in no end of adventures.

PIONEER BOYS OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST Or, With Lewis and Clark Across the Rockies A splendid story describing in detail the great expedition formed under the leadership of Lewis and Clark, and telling what was done by the pioneer boys who were first to penetrate the wilderness of the northwest and push over the Rocky Mountains. The book possesses a permanent historical value and the story should be known by every bright American boy.

WITH BOONE ON THE FRONTIER Or, The Pioneer Boys of Old Kentucky Relates the true-to-life adventures of two boys who, in company with their folks, move westward with Daniel Boone. Contains many thrilling scenes among the Indians and encounters with wild animals. It is excellently told.

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BY HOWARD R. GARIS

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FROM OFFICE BOY TO REPORTER Or, The First Step in Journalism

LARRY DEXTER, REPORTER Or, Strange Adventures in a Great City

LARRY DEXTER'S GREAT SEARCH Or, The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire

* * * * *

The Deep Sea Series BY ROY ROCKWOOD

No manly boy ever grew tired of sea stories—there is a fascination about them, and they area recreation to the mind.

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ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC Or, The Secret of the Island Cave

THE CRUISE OF THE TREASURE SHIP Or, The Castaways of Floating Island

THE RIVAL OCEAN DIVERS Or, The Search for a Sunken Treasure

* * * * *

The Railroad Series BY ALLEN CHAPMAN

Ralph is determined to be a "railroad man." He starts in at the foot of the ladder; but is full of manly pluck and "wins out." Boys will be greatly interested in his career.

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RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS Or, the Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer A clean cut picture of railroading of to-day.

RALPH OF THE ROUND HOUSE Or, Bound to Become a Railroad Man

RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER Or, Clearing the Track

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THE END